If your business is growing and you’ve had to add employees, get some office space or add a customer service department – you may have realized that it is time to upgrade your phone systems. Whether for scalability, convenience or professional reasons, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) may be your next step.
VoIP is group of technologies designed for the delivery of voice communications over Internet Protocol (IP) networks, such as the Internet. These services specifically provision communication services for voice, SMS and voice-messaging over the internet, rather than utilizing the traditional method of the public switched telephone network (PSTN).
Benefits of VoIP
One of the first things to point out is that by utilizing computers and devices which you already have, you can save a lot of money on complicated phone systems. You can now construct an entire call center using without procuring additional equipment. VoIP offers auto-attendants and customer relationship integration for a relatively low cost and simple installation – all while being very reliable.
The flexibility of VoIP is truly beneficial to companies of all sizes, but especially to those with remote or traveling employees. Those workers can now virtually be “at the office” via desktops, laptops, VoIP desk phones, and smartphones via apps. VoIP enables people to run their entire business from a smartphone while still maintaining professionalism. Business owners can pay a small cost for an 800 number, which can be picked up via their desktop or smartphone. Business people never have to miss a call, but those dialing the number are unaware they are not dialing a “traditional ” number.
VoIP also improves customer experience, which is very important as small business looks to remain competitive. Calls can be relayed from the main number in under 10 seconds, and “out of office” messages are becoming a thing of the past. Salesmen never miss the big call, and customer service reps can immediately address customer concerns. Better yet, because you do not have to change your number, you can mobilize with VoIP without confusing your customers or changing contact information.
The system can handle high call volume and automatically roll calls over to the next available agent, even if all the agents are sitting in different remote locations. The customer never realizes they are not dealing with a more traditional call center. Companies are choosing hold music which fits their business personality and makes waiting just a bit more fun, and voice transcription allows messages to quickly be read and answered.
For employers, VoIP opens up the possibilities of who you can hire. Applicants no longer need to be in your specific geographic area, but can be sourced from virtually anywhere. Although many still appreciate office presence, many jobs simply don’t require it in today’s world.
Keeping Employees Happy
In this day and age, the best applicants often require flexibility as a part of their employment packages. VoIP technology allows them to log into the system from anywhere, and to work from the comfort of home without giving up the appearance of professionalism. Don’t underestimate the power of employee morale – experts say that employees who are happy with their work environment show up to 12% more productivity than those who aren’t given flexibility.
As of this writing, the COVID-19 health crisis is ongoing. Companies may find that having a remote workforce is not only productive, but cost effective. If you are interested in looking into the benefits of VoIP for your organization go forward, call the experts at Alliance IT.
